The subject invention relates generally to turbomachinery. More particularly, the subject invention relates to tracking of rotating components in turbomachinery.
Turbomachines undergo periodic inspections during which, among other things, turbine rotors are inspected for flaws or damage to their airfoils, or buckets. During a typical inspection, a technician will utilize a borescope or other means inserted into the turbomachine through a portal to visually inspect the buckets. While peering through the borescope, the rotor is rotated and the technician must keep track the rotor angular orientation to correctly document which buckets may have flaws or damage. This is typically done by counting the number of buckets which pass during rotation from a predetermined zero point.
This method of tracking the rotor's orientation, however, is prone to error. The inspection often involves rotating the rotor through several full revolutions and/or rotating the rotor in a first direction then in a second direction, making it difficult for the technician to keep correct count of which bucket number is being observed in the borescope. If the technician loses count, the inspection may have to be restarted costing additional time and money. Error in bucket counts may result in, for example, documenting flaws on an incorrect bucket number which may lead in turn to confusion over repairs and may also lead to reinspections further costing additional time and money. The art would well-receive an apparatus for tracking rotor rotation and bucket location that would reduce error and inspection time.